Cotton-chopper.



UNITED STATES Patented November 15, 1904.

BURREAL ANDREW HENLEY, OF CAVE CITY, ARKANSAS.

COTTON-CHOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 774,941, datecl-November 15, 1904.

Application led May 17, 1904.

To all whom, t mag/concern.:

one in which the shaft carrying the rotary chopper-blades may be readilyadjusted vertically to vary the depth of the cut of the choppers.

To these ends the invention comprises the novel details of constructionand combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan View of acotton-chopper constructed in accordance with my invention. is a centrallongitudinal sectional elevation through the same on the line 2 2,Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view, partly in section and partly inelevation, of the rocking bar, which supports one end of thechopper-shaft.

1 1 indicate the side bars, which extend longitudinally of the machinein parallel relation and are connected at their rear ends by atransverse cylindrical bar 2 and forward of the axle or drive-shaft 3 bymeans of a transverse cylindrical bar 4. The bars 1, which are of anysuitable metal, are reduced in thickness forward of the transversebar4and converge to a point of meeting a suitable distance in advance ofthe bar4 and have secured between their front meeting ends a clevis 5.

The main axle or driving-shaft 3 is journaled for rotation in suitablebearings formed in the side bars 1 andhas mounted at its opposite endsground-wheels 6 and at its longitudinal center a bevel-gear 7, which isxedly associated with the shaft in any suitable manner for rotationtherewith and is adapted to mesh with a similar gear 8, fixed to thefront end of a short longitudinally-disposed shaft 9, which Fig. 2

sern No. 208,463. (No model.)

carries at its rear end suitable chopping-blades 10. The shaft 9, whichis driven from the main shaft 3 through the medium of the gears 7 and 8,is journaled at its front end in a bearing 11 of a transverse rockingbar 12, which latter is journaled at its ends in bearings 13, adjustablyassociated with the side bars 1 of the machine. The shaft 9 is furtherjournaled in and supported by a fioating bearing 14, connected bysuitable straps 15 with the handlebars V16. The handle-bars 16 arepivoted at their front 'ends to a standard 17, arising vertically fromthe front bar 4, and at their rear ends are sustained by braces 18,bolted or otherwise securedto the side barsl and connected at theirupper ends to the handle-bars by setscrews or other suitable means whichwill permit of the rear ends of the bars being readily adj ustedvertically for the purpose of moving Vthe chopping-blades 10 toward andfrom the ground to vary the depthof cut of the same. The bearings .13,which sustain the rocking bar 12, are, as before stated, readilyadjustable longitudinal of the frame-bars 1, and this for the purpose ofmoving the gear 8 into andout of mesh with the gear 7.to throw thechopping-blades into and out of operation, as will be readilyunderstood, the bearings 13 being held in their various positions bymeans of set-screws 19, which engage the upper faces of the bars 1.

20 2O indicate a pair of supporting-beams which extend longitudinally ofthe machine in parallel relation at opposite sides of its longitudinalcenter. These beams, which are sustained at their ends by the transversebars 2 4, are adapted for free movement longitudinally of said bars, or,in other words, in a direction transversely of the machine, and are heldin their adjusted positions by means of set-screws 21, which are .tappedvertically through the bars 2O for engagement with the transverse bars 24. Attached to the front ends of the beams 2O in any suitable manner foradjustment in a vertical plane are the Shanks or standards 22 ofscraping-blades 23, while cultivator-blades 24 are similarly attached tothe beams at their rear ends.

25 25 are suitable plows sustained by the beams 2O in advance of therear bar 2, the plows being attached to the beams in any suitable mannerfor adjustment vertically. rIhus it will be seen that the beams 2O serveto support the scraper-blades, the plows, and the cultivator-blades, andthat the beamsmay be readily adjusted transversely of themachine formoving these blades toward or from the plants, and it is to beespecially noted that the forward ends of the beams may be moved inwardor outward for similarly adjusting the Scrapers without changing thepositions of their rear ends relatively.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I produce a device which will atonce be simple of construction, eiiicient in operation, and one in whichthe various operative parts may be quickly adjusted as circumstancesrequire, and in attaining these ends it is to be understood that I donot limit myself to the precise details herein shown and describedinasmuch as minor changes may be made therein without departing from thespirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what A I claim is- In acotton-chopper, the combination with a framehaving side bars, of arotatable driveshaft jou'rnaled in the frame and provided withground-wheels, a gear ixedly associated with the shaft,vertically-adjustable handle-bars, a floating bearing connected to andadjustable therewith, a rocking bar, a rotary driven shaft journaled inthe floating bearing and rocking bar and provided With a gear meshingwith the first-named gear and with chopper-blades, and bearings for therocking bar mounted upon the side bars of the frame and adjustablelongitudinally thereof for moving the gears into and out of mesh.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afxed mysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

BURREAL ANDREW HENLEY.

Witnesses:

WM. HENSON, j WM. HALE.

